Tea party ignored the problem

The Cape Girardeau tea party was a bust. The occasion was greatly anticipated as a means to raise a collective voice loud enough to be heard in Congress. It turned out to be a podium from which politicians aired their views, preachers mixed religion with politics, veterans presented the colors and those in attendance were coaxed to be patriotic. That's not what I went for.

Valid injustices were aired. Attendance increased slowly. After about 30 minutes I noticed a few people leaving. I had the same notion but lasted for an hour before leaving. In all of the rhetoric, no one cited the problem.

A lot of veterans were in attendance sporting their caps, shirts and jackets denoting reference to their service. I did not feel it necessary to promote my service in the Air Force in the mid-1960s. People brought signs about fair taxation and similar issues. No one cited the problem.

Event organizers put this tea party together due to the deaf ears in Washington. The effort missed its mark. No one cited the problem.

The problem is that congressional leaders don't represent you or me. They represent big business. They did not listen when constituents said no to the bailouts. When Chicken Little came screaming, they ignored the man on the street. Market conditions did not create the recession. They did. Now they act like they are angry with the situation and that they had nothing to do with it.

America's founding principles, morals and values are slipping away.

DAN PHELPS, Cape Girardeau